


Profit and Risk

by AuroraNova



Series: Ties That Bind [7]
Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-19
Updated: 2015-11-19
Packaged: 2018-05-02 10:45:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5245394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AuroraNova/pseuds/AuroraNova
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Some secrets are profitable; others are a waste of time. Unlike his brother, Quark has the lobes to tell the difference.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Profit and Risk

**Author's Note:**

> Trying my hand at dialogue-only. 
> 
> Standard disclaimer: I don't own anything and am not making a cent.

“Hello Brother.”

 “Rom. Ready to lose at tongo again?”

 “I’m hoping to win.”

 “We’re all hoping to win. Some of us just have a better chance than others.”

 “Is Lieutenant Dax playing?”

 “She’s at some conference on Golia.”

 “My odds have increased already.”

 “Your odds have nowhere to go but up.”

 “So, Dr. Bashir and Garak have been spending a lot of time in the holosuite lately.”

 “Hew-mons love the holosuites. It doesn’t entirely make up for their less than enthusiastic gambling, but there’s profit in it.”

 “Aren’t you curious what they’re doing?”

 “I know what they’re doing. So far they’ve used the Wonders of Earth program twice, gone treewalking in the Betazoid rain forest, and visited a famous stalagmite cave system on one of the Cardassian colonies.”

 “Don’t you want to know why?”

 “I don’t care as long as they pay to use my holosuites.”

 “But this is new. New behavior is worth noting.”

 “Sometimes.”

 “You always say secrets can be turned into latinum.”

 “Some secrets. Others aren’t worth a slip. If you’d spent less time taking apart household appliances and more time listening to Father you might be able to recognize the difference.”

 “I heard that Dr. Bashir was seen going into Garak’s quarters last night.”

 “And I heard a rumor about a shipment of Andorian ice diamonds. Much more profitable. I see I need to spell it out for you again: Bashir spends most of his credits here anyway.”

 “Starfleet doesn’t pay well.”

 “Starfleet doesn’t pay anything. Federation credits are just an idea. I only accept them because Starfleet exchanges them for latinum. Though, even in credits, it is lousy pay.”

 “I suppose it would be a bad idea to blackmail a Starfleet officer. Besides, I like Bashir.”

 “Which is part of your problem, Rom. Rule of Acquisition number twenty-one: Never place friendship above profit. Anyway, there are plenty of other ways to profit from a secret beside blackmail.”

 “What about Garak?”

 “I’d like to live to enjoy my latinum, and I won’t if I cross him. Or is that your plan? Get me killed so you inherit the bar and my latinum.”

 “Of course not, Brother.”

 “It better not be. Now get some grub worms before the others get here. I need food to win at tongo.”

 “That’s what you said last time and Lieutenant Dax ended up with all your latinum.”

 “Shut up, Rom.”

**Author's Note:**

> DS9 was very inconsistent on money re: the Federation, so I've chosen a scenario that I find plausible based on Quark stating in "Armageddon Game" that Bashir and O'Brien always paid their bar bills on time.


End file.
